Who We Are
A Fourth Act is an interdisciplinary collective of storytellers, facilitators, researchers, designers and technologists using stories and technology to empower audiences in becoming agents of change in their communities. Our roots are in storytelling and journalism. Together we have tremendous reach to a diversely rich network of fellow collaborators throughout the storytelling fields of journalism, media, technology and art, as well as researchers in the professions and academia.
YOUR MAIN PARTNERS ARE:
LAURA LO FORTI - Partner, Story Midwife
A former writer and multimedia producer, I’ve been adopting non-traditional approaches to journalism for the past ten years. Today, I see myself as an idea-whisperer. I help mediamakers, not-for-profits and social action groups incorporate participatory practices to tell more inclusive stories that spark civic engagement and encourage systemic change. Through my work as a “story midwife”, supporting others through the transformative journey of bringing their personal narratives to life, I’ve become a strong advocate of engaging vulnerable communities in self-representation and including them in the decision-making process affecting their lives.
Among my collaborations: the National Resource Center for Permanency and Family Connections at Hunter College School of Social Work; Partnership With Children; NY Office of Children and Family Services; Adobe Youth Voices; Center for Digital Storytelling; the Hollywood Theatre; The Skanner Foundation.
With World Press Photo award winner Brenda Ann Kenneally I co-founded The Raw File, an ongoing multimedia series of immersive documentary work raising conversations that intersect the lines of race and class.
ANDREW DeVIGAL - Partner, Bridge Builder
I’m an Emmy-award winning innovative strategist who builds bridges by connecting ideas and people together to produce meaningful and interactive stories. I'm also the inaugural Chair in Journalism Innovation and Civic Engagement and the first professor of practice in the University of Oregon's School of Journalism and Communication (SOJC). The Agora Journalism Center is devoted to transformative advancements for better journalism and stronger democracy. The center energizes research, teaching and learning fostering a culture of constant innovation and diverse collaboration to serve the public good.
As the former multimedia editor of The New York Times, I helped transform and evolve the print newsroom into the digital and interactive era. At The Times, I conceived and directed ground-breaking story forms and processes that help shape the industry today. I’ve used my extensive reach into various disciplines to connect the right people to collaborate and produce extraordinary work. With exceptional knowledge of the possibilities and deeply innovative forward-thinking, I have consistently demonstrated my ability to lead teams, engage audiences through purposeful user experiences, and invent creative new approaches to interactive storytelling. In this personal fourth act of my career, I’m excited to redefine the territories of how and why we tell stories.
© A Fourth Act, LLC 2019